Small minded theatre blues...yet again.

What do I want to see? Well lets see. I tend to like dark films. I tend to like off beat films. I tend to like horror films. What fits that criteria? TEETH. Will I get to see it? Not likely or at least not likely at a regular theatre. When will the Edinburg Alamo Draft House open? Not that it would be any help because most of the Alamo Draft Houses get stuck showing the same commercial theatrical dreck as any other theatre, but (and this is a big but) at least there might be a chance of something cool opening. How I despise the death of our local indy movie house.

The Best DIRECTOR race, as I see it now...

I’ve only seen two of these films so far.

Who Should Not Be Here?
Jason Reitman
I’m not saying that directing a comedy isn’t hard, it’s just that this film couldn’t have been hard at all.
And maybe;
Tony Gilroy. I haven’t seen his film so I can’t judge, but I could replace him easily.

Who Should Be Here?
Tim Burton, of course in place of Mr. Reitman, or…
Sean Penn
Sidney Lumet
David Cronenberg
Ang Lee
In that order, again it was a good year, a very good year.

Who Will Win?
The Coen Brothers

Who Should Win?
Paul Thomas Anderson
Because this could well be the greatest film he will ever direct and it will be a shame if he is not rewarded.

Who Could Upset?
Julian Schnabel, but he will get no love from the Academy.

The Dark Horse
Paul Thomas Anderson

My Favorite
The Coen brothers. I’m a huge fan.

Atonement?...I think not.

Atonement. I was guessing that this was going to be a "high brow" chick film and I was not disappointed. I am not saying this is a bad thing but rather one knows a chick film when one sees a chick film. I want to state for the record that chick films are in and of themselves a film genre. Chick films as genre films should be as routinely shunned by the academy as any other genre of film. If that was only so.. but no! It seems that we are routinely told that this year's model is a genre crossing "great" film and deserves to be considered the best film of the years. Critics start to drool in their slavish (not a mis-spelling and not a reference to Slavic culture) praise. There is so little original thought amongst critics that I wonder why I bother paying attention...oh, I don't. This does not just apply to this year's chick flick but rather all the entertaining but unworthy films that have graced the best picture category of both the academy and the drollness of critics best of the year lists (should be less..okay I thought it was funny). Do I need to give you an example ? Okay then: Titanic (chick flick of the year and not even a good chick flick) ;Forrest Gump (entertaining sure but best film, no, I think not)....; etc, etc,.... . I could go on but I suspect I am beginning to insult your favorite films and by extension you. I do not mean to say that I am opposed to insulting you but rather do it face to face rather then the new "online" way (which takes me on a different rant outside the parameters of this blog). How often have you been disappointed because critical reviews steered you towards some supposed "great" film , only to have it turn out to be just an entertaining film. There is no original thought amongst us movie goers as well though I am trying hard to joust all the windmills.

Where was I? Atonement. The look of the film was great and I truly appreciated both the cinematography and art direction. The acting was superb. The story was fine but nothing greater. One leaves the film and it is simply over. There is no lingering mental residue. There is nothing to discuss amongst ourselves. We leave and wonder what we are going to see next. This brings up an interesting question: Do chick flicks ever leave any kind of lingering thought or are they always over when the film is over simply by definition? Okay. I saw Atonement. I like it. Now what. I have to note that the supposed erotic moment was far from it. A side here: The theatre was freezing cold and I ate all the drink's ice before the movie was a third over. I am telling you not to do this. Stay away from ice in a cold theatre.

You want movies that engage conversation? Well the two movies that we saw prior to Atonement did just that. Spend your money and see both The Orphanage and Cloverfield (perhaps I will quit calling it Cloverdale). There was at least things to think about and discuss after both films. I was thinking stuff over as we drank our slushos.

Simply: Any film that is best picture material should leave a lasting mental picture. There should be things that you want to discuss and ponder. The academy should not be such frakking snobs and consider more genre films for best film (genre directors need to quit slumming and produce great work for this to happen). I know that I wish for the impossible but then again I think I am slaying dragons.

The Best Picture Race, as I see it now

I have yet to see Michael Clayton and There Will Be Blood, but the later is next on my list this weekend. As for Michael Clayton, I missed it the first time around and it only played for about a week or two, I know it was gone quickly.

Who Should Not Be Here?
Atonement, it’s just not Oscar material, the Academy was blinded by the acting and it’s supposed sweeping epic style, but the fact is the story is told in a rather half assed and convoluted way which only makes this a so, so picture that’s beautiful to look at.

Who Should Be Here?
I believe that everyone was right, 2007 was a good year for movies.
So, who should be here instead of “Atonement,” my favorite, Sweeny Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street or..
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Zodiac
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Gone Baby Gone
American Gangster.

Who Will Win?
No Country for Old Men

Who Should Win?
No Country for Old Men

Who Could Upset?
There Will Be Blood

The Dark Horse
Juno

OH MY GOODNESS!!!

N.Y.TIMES City Room: Actor Heath Ledger Is Found Dead

Reaction to this morning's news

I got 3 categories perfect with a total of 64 right, 74 with my alternates. It was a morning of surprises though, and not all good. What I'm most surprised by was "Enchanted" hogging up the original song category shutting out "Into the Wild."
Tommy Lee Jones for Best Actor = good
Jason Ritman for Best Director = not so good, no love for "Sweeny" it was a sign.
Away from Her for Best Adapated Screenplay = great, five women screenwriters nominated.
Surf's Up for Best Animated Film = Doh!
American Gangster for Art Direction = huh?
Across the Universe for Best Costume = Yeah! It got something.
Norbit = WHAT THE HELL!!
3:10 to Yuma for Score = Damn the disqualification of There Will Be Blood.
The Bourne Ultimatum with 3 nominations = good.

BEST PICTURE
No Country for Old Men
Juno
There Will Be Blood
Atonement
Michael Clayton
Alternate:in place of Michael Clayton
Into the Wild

BEST DIRECTOR
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (No Country for Old Men)
P.T. Anderson (There Will Be Blood)
Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and Butterfly)
Joe Wright (Atonement)
Sean Penn (Into the Wild)
Alternate:
Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton)
Sidney Lumet (Before the Devil Knows Your Dead)

BEST ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
George Clooney (Michael Clayton)
Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd)
James McAvoy (Atonement)
Viggo Mortenson (Eastern Promises)
Alternate:
Emile Hirsh (Into the Wild)
Denzel Washington (American Gangster)

BEST ACTRESS
Julie Christie (Away from Her)
Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose)
Ellen Page (Juno)
Amy Adams (Enchanted)
Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart)
Alternate:
Laura Linney (The Savages)
Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth: The Golden Age)


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Charlie Wilson’s War)
Cassey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James)
Tom Wilkinson ( Michael Clayton)
Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone)
Cate Blanchett (I’m Not There)
Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)
Saoirse Ronan (Atonement)
Jennifer Gardner (Juno)
Alternate:
Vanessa Redgrave
Ruby Dee

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Juno
Michael Clayton
The Savages
Before the Devil Knows Your Dead
Eastern Promises
Alternate:
Ratatouille
Lars and the Real Girl

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
The Diving Bell and Butterfly
Atonement
Into the Wild
Alternate:
Zodiac
Charlie Wilson's War

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Ratatouille
Persepolis
The Simpsons Movie

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
No Country for Old Men
Atonement
The Assassination of Jesse James
There Will Be Blood
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Alternate:
Lust, Caution

BEST ART DIRECTION
Sweeney Todd
Atonement
There Will Be Blood
The Golden Compass
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Alternate:
Hairspray
Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End

BEST FILM EDITING
No Country for Old Men
Atonement
American Gangster
Sweeney Todd
There Will Be Blood
Alternate:
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Diving Bell and Butterfly

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Sweeney Todd
Atonement
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Hairspray
The Assassination of Jesse James …

BEST MAKEUP
Sweeny Todd
Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End
La Vie en Rose

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Atonement
There Will Be Blood
Lust, Caution
The Kite Runner
Eastern Promises
Alternate:
Into the Wild
Ratatouille

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Once “Falling Slowly”
Into the Wild “Guaranteed”
Hairspray “Come So Far”
Enchanted “How Does She Know”
American Gangster “Do You Feel Me?”
Alternate:
Grace is Gone

BEST SOUND MIXING/DESIGN
Sweeney Todd
Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End
Transformers
Spider-Man 3
Ratatouille
Alternate:
The Golden Compass
Hairspray

BEST SOUND EDITING/EFFECTS
Transformers
Spider-Man 3
Ratatouille
300
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
Alternate:
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Kingdom

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Transformers
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
300
Alternate:
Spider-Man 3
I Am Legend

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Sicko
Lake of Fire
No End in Sight
For the Bible Tells Me So
Nanking

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Counterfeiters (Austria)
Year my Parents Went on Vacation (Brazil)
Katyn (Poland) dir. Andrzej Wajda
Days of Darkness (Canada)
The Unknown “Woman” (Italy)
Alternate:
12

BFCA reaction

I got 11 right. Not bad considering I just posted on a whim yesterday. I did miss most of the show, but I caught about the last hour and a half. Loved Jarvier Bardem and Eddie Izzard though.

Here is what I hope will be worth my money in '08.

2008
Cloverfield
Be Kind Rewind
Rambo
My Blueberry Nights
Jumper
George A. Romer’s Diary of the Dead
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Vantage Point
The Other Boleyn Girl
Penelope
Semi-Pro
10,000 B.C
21
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who
Pride and Glory
Sleepwalking
Inkheart
Shutter
Stop Loss
Leatherheads
Nim’s Island
The Ruins
The Visitor
The Forbidden Kingdom
Iron Man
Speed Racer
The Chronicles of Naria: Prince Caspian
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Savage Grace
Kung Fu Panda
The Happening
The Incredible Hulk
Get Smart
WALL*E
Hellyboy 2
Tropic Thunder
Mamma Mia!
The Dark Knight
The X Files 2
Blindness
The International
Case 39
Babylon A.D.
Clive Barker Presents: Hellraiser
Nights in Rodanthe
Death Race
RocknRolla
Valkyrie
Body of Lies
Igor
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Revolutionary Road
The Tale of Despereaux
Star Trek
Where the Wild Things Are
Bond 22
Frost/Nixon
The Changeling
Doomsday
Australia
Traitor
Last Chance Harvey
Righteous Kill
Eagle Eye
Wanted
Ghost Town
A Tale of Two Sisters
Ender’s Game
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Emerald City
Dancing with Shiva
Pinkville
Memoirs of Hadrian
Boones Lick
What Just Happened?
Tulia
Burn After Reading
Adoration
Tree of Life
Frankie Machine
The Argentine
Guerrilla
The Reader
The Lovely Bones

What to expect in 2008?

Well, I will spend the next few months, as always catching up on films I missed in 2007. One of these days or decades I will get to see films before they come to DVD. (I doubt it)
But I fear that the way we watch films has changed. In fact I know it has.
How has it changed?
We have watched less films at the theatre this year, in fact the number has gone down every year for the last three years.
We have a 37 inch wide screen television with surround sound and over 200 films on DVD at home.
We joined Netfilx and rented 48 films last year.
We have a new LCD television with which I plan to hook up to our computer and watch Netfix movies on.
I have friends and family who watch films that are still playing at the theatre on bootleg discs. This is something that Will and I refuse to do. That is just not right. It is bad enough that we have to suffer paying and watching films with inproperly lit screens and speakers that tweek during a melody. I have so wanted to get our money back or walk out, but it would be the same elsewhere.
Even so, we will still try to go to the movies at least once a week. But I fear that there will not be anything we wish to see. You see we have about 70 screens within 15 miles of where we live. Two second run theatres (16 screens), and three multiplexes (54 screens), where they show two crappy films like, “National Treasure 2” and “I Am Legend’ 18 screens.

So our choices are very limited sometimes. Although this may be the time when the crappiest films are released. It's actually the best and my favorite time of the year, when all the films everyone else is talking about finally get down here. I am so looking forward to seeing "The Orphanage" and "The Kite Runner," opening this weekend, and for "Michael Clayton" to come back next week.

Best Film

My lovely wife may not pick a single film but I will: The Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford. The film reminded me the reason I like Brad Pitt. Pitt's last several films have been entertaining but he has mostly walked through them. The subject matter and characters were light. The portrayal of Jesse James was thoughtful and quiet with a restrained force that was both the "character" and the actor. The whole film was quiet and that made the moments of violence just that much more horrifying and powerful. The direction was slow and that allowed the story to develop almost organically. Much has been said about Casey Affleck but not enough about Sam Rockwell. Rockwell's character keeps the movie on an even balance both in showing the unpredictability of J.James and the Ford brother respect and loyalty to him. There is a sadness to the portrayal that belies an actor as young as Rockwell. I suspect he will become one of those actors that will never quite get the acclaim they deserve. The look of the film was majestic with much of it shot through leaded windows. The scenes looked both realistic and painterly. The score was perhaps the most haunting score that I have heard in years. It keep in the flavor of the time while still being flowing and organic. I have not bought a soundtrack in years but I have this one.

ON A SIDE NOTE: I am happy to report that the book is as great as the film. The adaptation was spot on with dialog transferred directly. I only wished that I could have shared this with my father. W

The Best of 2007?

It is so hard to make this kind of list when the films that I have not seen almost out number the films I did see. But that is not my fault! I can't help that the following films from this week's top fifty (accroding to MCN) have not played within 300 miles of where I live.

There Will Be Blood
Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Atonement
Into the Wild
Away From Her
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
I’m Not There
Before the Devil Knows Your Dead
The Savages
Persepolis
Syndromes and a Century
Killer of Sheep
The King Of Kong
Offside
Lars and the Real Girl
Control
Lake of Fire
Margot at the Wedding
Wind that Shakes the Barley
Southland Tales

And the following I simply missed.
Michael Clayton
Gone Baby Gone
American Gangster
Enchanted
In the Valley of Elah

So what have I seen?
No Country for Old Men
Zodiac
Once
Juno
Ratatouille
The Assassination of Jesse James…
Sweeny Todd
Eastern Promises
The Lives of Others
The Bourne Ultimatum
Knocked Up
No End in Sight
The Host
Superbad
Grindhouse
Hairspray
The Darjeeling Limited
Sicko
3:10 to Yuma
Hot Fuzz
Charlie Wilson’s War
Rescue Dawn
Across the Universe
300
Breach

so...
Here is my list of the best of the films I Have Seen this year. I have actually seen 72 films this year, which is about average. To be fair I do inclued films that I watched from Netflix on DVD and online and films that were shown on televison.

Best Horror
Halloween; The Host, 28 Weeks Later, 30 Days of Night, Fido
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Stardust, The Water Horse
Romance
Across the Universe
Drama
No Country for Old Men
Action
Shoot ‘Em Up
Crime
Zodiac
Animation
Ratatouille
Comic Adaptation
300, 30 Days of Night
Comedy
Superbad, Juno, Knocked Up, Walk Hard, Blades of Glory
Musical
Sweeny Todd, Once, Across the Universe, Hairspray
Documentary
No End in Sight, Sicko
Western
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, 3:10 to Yuma, Seraphim Falls
War
Rescue Dawn, The Kingdom
Remake
Halloween, 3:10 to Yuma
Sequel
The Bourne Ultimatum
Thriller
Mr. Brooks, The Lookout
Most Overrated
Transformers
Most Underrated
The Assassination of Jesse James…
Biggest Letdown
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Biggest Surprise
3:10 to Yuma
Worst Movie we paid for
1408

Crtics Choice Awards

Ok, Ok! I'll take a guess. I won't be watching the show so I'll check the results later. I don't expect to get many of these right, but since everyone else is doing it I guess I will too.

PICTURE: No Country for Old Men
ACTOR: Daniel Day-Lewis
ACTRESS: Ellen Page
SUPPPORTING ACTOR: Javier Bardem
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Amy Ryan
ENSEMBLE: Before the Devil Knows Your Dead
DIRECTOR: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
WRITER: Diablo Cody
ANIMATED FEATURE: Ratatouille
BEST YOUNG ACTOR: Michael Cera
BEST YOUNG ACTRESS: Saoirse Ronan
BEST COMEDY: Juno
BEST FAMILY FILM: Enchanted
BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION: Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
BEST SONG: Guaranteed
BEST DOCUMENTARY: Sicko

Predictions Update before the holidays

BEST PICTURE
No Country for Old Men (Miramax)
Atonement (Focus Features)
Sweeny Todd (Dreamworks/Paramount)
Juno (Fox Searchlight)
There Will Be Blood (Paramount Vantage)

BEST DIRECTOR
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (No Country for Old Men)
Tim Burton (Sweeny Todd)
P.T. Anderson (There Will Be Blood)
Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and Butterfly)
Joe Wright (Atonement)

BEST ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd)
George Clooney (Michael Clayton)
James McAvoy (Atonement)
Viggo Mortenson (Eastern Promises)

BEST ACTRESS
Julie Christie (Away from Her)
Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose)
Ellen Page (Juno)
Amy Adams (Enchanted)
Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Charlie Wilson’s War)
Cassey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James)
Tom Wilkinson ( Michael Clayton)
Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett (I’m Not There)
Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone)
Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)
Saoirse Ronan (Atonement)
Ruby Dee

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Juno
Michael Clayton
The Savages
Ratatouille
Before the Devil Knows Your Dead

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
No Country for Old Men
Atonement
The Diving Bell and Butterfly
Charlie Wilson's War
There Will Be Blood

Marque Mash Ups

National Treasure: Book of Secrets is Charlie Wilson's War. Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Stroy; P.S. I Love You, both!

Finally something to watch and the time to watch.

BEST PICTURE
Atonement (Focus Features)
No Country for Old Men (Miramax)
Juno (Fox Searchlight)
Sweeny Todd (Dreamworks/Paramount)
American Gangster (Universal Pictures)
There Will Be Blood (Paramount Vantage)
Into the Wild (Paramount Vantage)
Michael Clayton (WB)
Before the Devil Knows Your Dead (ThinkFilm)
The Kite Runner (Paramount Vantage)

BEST DIRECTOR
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (No Country for Old Men)
Joe Wright (Atonement)
Sidney Lumet (Before the Devil Knows Your Dead)
P.T. Anderson (There Will Be Blood)
Tim Burton (Sweeny Todd)
Ridley Scott (American Gangster)
Jason Reitman (Juno)
Marc Forster (The Kite Runner)
Sean Penn (Into the Wild)
Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and Butterfly)

BEST ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd)
Tommy Lee Jones (In the Valley of Elah)
James McAvoy (Atonement)
George Clooney (Michael Clayton)
Denzel Washington (American Gangster)
Emile Hirsh (Into the Wild)
Viggo Mortenson (Eastern Promises)
John Cusack (Grace is Gone)
Benico del Toro (Things We Lost in the Fire)

BEST ACTRESS
Ellen Page (Juno)
Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose)
Amy Adams (Enchanted)
Helena Bonham-Carter(Sweeny Todd)
Keira Knightly (Atonement)
Laura Linney (The Savages)
Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart)
Julie Christie (Away from Her)
Jodie Foster (The Brave One)
Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth: The Golden Age)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)
Tom Wilkinson ( Michael Clayton)
Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild)
Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Charlie Wilson’s War)
Cassey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James)
John Travolta (Hairspray)
Max von Sydow (The Diving Bell and Butterfly)
Philip Bosco (The Savages)
Ethan Hawke (Before the Devil Knows Your Dead)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett (I’m Not There)
Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)
Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone)
Marisa Tomei (Before the Devil Knows Your Dead)
Saoirse Ronan (Atonement)
Samantha Morton (The Golden Age)
Romola Garai (Atonement)
Jennifer Jason Leigh (Margot at the Wedding)
Jennifer Gardner (Juno)
Kelly MacDonald (There Will Be Blood)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Juno
Michael Clayton
Before the Devil Knows Your Dead
The Savages
Ratatouille
Once
In the Valley of Elah
American Gangster
Eastern Promises
Knocked Up

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
No Country for Old Men
Atonement
There Will Be Blood
Into the Wild
Charlie Wilson's War
The Kite Runner
The Diving Bell and Butterfly
Sweeny Todd
Away from Her
Zodiac

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Ratatouille
Persepolis
Beowulf
The Simpsons Movie
Bee Movie
Shrek the Third
Meet the Robinsons
Surf’s Up
Alvin and the Chipmunks

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Assassination of Jesse James
Atonement
The Diving Bell and Butterfly
Sweeny Todd
No Country for Old Men
Into the Wild
American Gangster
Lust, Caution
There Will Be Blood
Elizabeth: The Golden Age

BEST ART DIRECTION
Sweeney Todd
Atonement
The Golden Compass
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Hairspray
There Will Be Blood
The Assassination of Jesse James…
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End
3:10 to Yuma

BEST FILM EDITING
Atonement
No Country for Old Men
American Gangster
Sweeney Todd
Into the Wild
The Golden Compass
There Will Be Blood
The Kite Runner
Hairspray
The Assassination of Jesse James…

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Sweeney Todd
Atonement
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Hairspray
The Golden Compass
The Assassination of Jesse James …
Lust, Caution
Love in the Time of Cholera
Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End
There Will Be Blood

BEST MAKEUP
Sweeny Todd
Hairspray
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
The Golden Compass
Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End
Love in the Time of Cholera
Fred Claus
300
La Vie en Rose
Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Atonement
Ratatouille
The Golden Compass
The Kite Runner
Beowulf
Lust, Caution
There Will Be Blood
Into the Wild
3:10 to Yuma
Enchanted

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Into the Wild “Guaranteed”
Once “Falling Slowly”
Hairspray “Come So Far”
American Gangster “Do You Feel Me?”
Enchanted “ So Close”
Hairspray “Ladies Choice”
Enchanted “How Does She Know”
Sweeny Todd
Enchanted “Ever, Ever After”
Into the Wild “Society”

BEST SOUND MIXING/DESIGN
Transformers
Sweeney Todd
Beowulf
Pirates of the Caribbean at World’s End
Hairspray
Spider-Man 3
The Golden Compass
American Gangster
Ratatouille
3:10 to Yuma

BEST SOUND EDITING/EFFECTS
Transformers
Spider-Man 3
Beowulf
The Golden Compass
Ratatouille
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
300
3:10 to Yuma
The Bourne Ultimatum
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Transformers
The Golden Compass
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
Spider-Man 3
300
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Beowulf
Enchanted
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

BEST DOCUMENTARY
No End in Sight
Sicko
For the Bible Tells Me So
Nanking
Taxi to the Dark Side
The Rape of Europa
White Light/Black Rain
Body of War
War/Dance
Operation Homecoming

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Persepolis
The Orphanage
Year my Parents Went on Vacation
Silent Night
The Counterfeiters
Secret Sunshine
The Edge of Heaven
The Unknown Woman
XXY

Oscar Predicitions Update

With the news from those lucky enough to see "Charlie Wilson's War" and "Sweeny Todd" I have removed "Charlie" from my top five. I am so glad that all my hopes for "Sweeny Todd" may just be confirmed. Of course, like many others I am biased when it comes to Mr. Depp and Mr. Burton, dispite some mis-steps in the recent past. I am still a fan.

Nothing really new at the cinema this weekend. We may be catching up with some missed films, like "American Gangster," or maybe "The Kingdom" at the second run theatre. And I would like to see "Enchanted," maybe. Sometimes I hate chick flicks too.

Time is ... fleeting. Madness ... takes its toll. But listen closely...

Darjeeling Limited

Okay... my better half gave it a B- but then she is my better half. She is much more polite and much more inclined to point out the good in films by directors we enjoy. Me. Not so much. The film is lite, light, and mostly pointless. The ending is satisfactory but getting there is ....is.... well, that would be the point. I know "Lets go to India and shoot a road picture". This film did nothing for anyone concerned. Nothing for the director (what direction?). Nothing for the actors (they seemed to be rehearsing before our eyes). Nothing for the audience (as the post film conversation was quick). Is it better than most things at the multiplex? Well, of course! Is it a must see? Not even close. I give it a C (with an inclination to a C-). I am disappointed as the film does not even fail in an interesting way. WAIT..... I do, however, still want to go to India. What time does the Bengal Lancer pull away from the station?

Marque Mash Ups

Stephen King's The Mist is Enchanted This Christmas; The Hitman, August Rush is I'm Not There won't be here. But, for No Country for Old Men, we will be standing in line for, if there is a line.

Pet Peeve 3

Why we suffer with teenagers working the projection room.
How many of you out there have been to the last showing of the night and find yourselves sitting the dark without a film to watch? I never got to see the very end of "War of the Roses," at the theatre, the film broke right when they came crashing to the floor. It was months before I got to see it, and I was told by others who actually got to see the whole movie how it ended. Needless to say I enjoyed the film up until they fell, and would have howled with laughter at the end. Last night we went to go see not only the last showing of the night, but it was the only showing of "The Darjeeling Limited," for over two hundred miles around. We sat in that theatre for an hour before we decided that the kid with the phone stuck to ear didn't know what he was doing by the time we tracked down the manager he was telling another usher to tell everyone left in the theatre that the show was canceled. I think that we have suffered through three breakdowns in the last twenty years. But unfortunately countless bad screenings, because the people who run those huge projection machines just don't know what they are doing, is it any wonder people stay at home with their home theatres?